Thursday, September 20, 2012

Developing Good Study Habits for Your Kids

Teaching a child good study habits
will not only make homework time easier, it will also help him earn
better grades. Study skills are a foundational skill for school success,
and what they learn in lower grades will serve them well for years to
come.

Before diving into homework, work with your child to figure out what
works best for him. Instead of trying to dictate what time your child
should do his homework or what environment he works best in, work as a
team to figure it out. When a child is part of developing a plan or
coming up with a solution to a problem, he’s much more likely to follow
through. Also, every person, whether it’s adult or child, has different
needs. What works great for you may not work at all for your child. By
letting him take the lead in creating good study habits, you’ll make
sure they fit his needs.

Get on a schedule. Some kids do better when they
have a short break between getting home from school and doing their
homework. Other kids do better when they tackle homework after dinner.
And others work best in cycles of 30 minutes of homework followed by 30
minutes of play time. The set-up doesn’t matter nearly as much as having
a consistent schedule that fits your child’s temperament and attention
span. Try different approaches and see which ones fits his needs best.
Give each approach at least one full week before deciding to move onto
something different. Your child’s homework schedule will probably change
according to his after school activities, but you can incorporate what
you know into the updated schedule (e.g. he works best after a snack, he
has a hard time with TV transitions so it’s best to do homework before
TV time, etc.). As your child gets older, he’ll know what time
management approach works best for him and he’ll understand the
importance of carving out time to focus on homework, studying, and projects.Create a learning environment. Teaching your child
how to create an environment that supports him in doing homework and
studying is a key study skill. Although some kids are unbothered by a
cluttered area, most children and adults do their best work when their
work space is clean and organized. For children with ADD or ADHD, having
an organized work area is essential. Noise is also an important part of
a learning environment. Having the TV on is never a good idea. Some
kids need absolute silence and others work well with music in the
background. Before even sitting down, make sure to have all the
necessary supplies on hand so your child doesn’t have to stop what he’s
doing to go find an eraser or grab more paper. Phones and social media
sites should be off limits during homework time. Texts, IMs, Tweets, and
other updates create a constant flow of distractions and can derail
even the best student. Teaching your child what type of environment
works best for him will allow him to recreate that environment wherever
he goes. As he gets older and his schedule gets more demanding, he’ll be
able to effectively study at a friend’s house, at the school library,
or any other place he’s at between activities.Set up an organizational system. Being organized and
having a study plan and a time table are essential in developing good
study habits. Most schools require or suggest a spiral daily calendar so
your child can write down his homework assignments each day. Make sure
this calendar is handy when he sits down to do his homework so he can
see each assignment, item by item.
Projects due at a later date usually require additional time and
effort so sit down with your child and develop a plan to get it done.
Help your child break the project into smaller, more manageable steps
and create a timeline to get everything done. Have a larger calendar
where you can record each step along with final project due dates, test
dates, and other activities related to the child’s schedule. That way
you’ll know if a softball game conflicts with a weekend writing session.Find a convenient place to keep all handouts. Sheets
listing weekly spelling words, study guides for upcoming tests, project
outlines, and other important paperwork can go on a bulletin board or
inside a binder or a file folder. The system that works best for you and
your child depends on your home’s space, how much paperwork you have,
and your personal preferences. Make sure that as your child gets older,
he takes on more and more responsibility for emptying his backpack and
putting papers in the agreed upon area.

Homework and study time don’t have to be a nightly battle. With some
creative planning, you and your child can work together to create a
schedule, space, and system that works for you both.
Source: Become a Nanny

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